Museums — Bangkok

The Jim Thompson House Museum — dedicated to Jim Thompson, an American who made his fortune in the mid-20th century selling Thai silk — displays a collection of antiques, artworks and religious artifacts collected by the businessman. The site is a garden complex of six traditional teak houses, and the mansion is also famous as a legendary venue for social parties. Admission costs 250 baht per person.

Besides the palace, there is a museum on the grounds.

A small gallery of Thai contemporary art.

This museum houses the country's most extensive collection of Thai art. The museum consists of multiple buildings, each presenting different kinds of art. Three galleries of the permanent exhibition showcase collections on the history of Thailand, archaeology and decorative objects.

Visit the house-museum of M.R. Kukrit — a professor and writer who also served as Thailand's prime minister — to see how traditional mansions of wealthy Thai families looked, learn about Thai culture and daily life, and admire the picturesque lotus pond and five teak houses. The ticket costs just 50 baht.

You can also visit the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, which displays her outfits adorned with traditional embroidery. The queen passed away on 24 October 2025.

The public space Warehouse 30 is set in an old warehouse building and features a gallery and shops of small brands. From there, a back alley past the handsome gates of the Portuguese embassy leads to the River City Bangkok mall.

At the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) they hold workshops, exhibitions, lectures and showcase Thai art.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is located quite far from the usual tourist routes, but contemporary-art fans will likely find it worth a visit. The building looks as if it were carved from a single block of granite. Cascading jasmine patterns on both sides flood natural light onto the atrium floor. There are several floors of permanent exhibitions with around 800 works, plus temporary shows. Admission is 400 baht.